Sexual Behaviour Flashcards
What can pheromones do in pigs? E.g.
Boar odour and the odour of estrus sows can advance and synchronize puberty in gilts
Evokes the lordosis response during estrus
e.g. submaxillary salivary gland and preputial fluid secretions in boar (skatole)
Purpose of fanning behaviour in bees
Fan pheromone (nasonov) to direct other bees home
Primary and secondary means of mutual identification
primary = odour
secondary = visual
E.g. of visual means of mutual identification
Suffix ewe (black face) will reject a lamb with a white face
How do photoperiods affect reproductive behaviour (visual)
Relative length of the light period of each day helps determine the timing of breeding beh in some domestic animals (egg laying in hens, seasonal breeders)
Two ways photoperiodism operates
Reproduction during the part of the year where day length is long (horse breeding starts in the spring-> summer, light is longer/stronger)
Reproduction during part of the year when day length is at a minimum (sheep and goats breed in the fall, photoperiod less than dark period)
What is refractory period
When the photoperiod fails to provide adequate stimulation, a refractory period develops in which breeding performance is arrested
Other visual stimuli for bulls and boars
Will mount dorsal surface with supports (‘dummy’)
Bulls are stimulated by seeing others mount
Examples of how temperature affects reproductive behaviour
Cold weather: drop the number of cows in estrus, increases onset of reproductive activity in sheep
Warm weather: decreases sexual libido in bulls and boars
How does the environment act as a timer
Or zeitgeber
Inherent rhythm develops, can synchronize events (e.g. estrus)
How does sexual behaviour vary daily? E.g.?
Occur at particular periods of the 24h day
e.g. sheep mate most around sunrise and sunset, beh estrus onset occurs at sunrise, rams circulate
What is crepuscular
Animals most active at dusk and dawn (sunrise and sunset)
The three important characteristics for the likelihood of successful mating behaviour in females
- Attractiveness: extent to which sexual response is evoked (pheromones, visual cues)
- Proceptivity: extent of invitation behaviour (female seeks out male)
- Receptivity: willingness to accept courtship and copulatory attempts (e.g. lordosis)
What females are known for proceptivity
Ewes
What is estrus
Heat, state during which the female seeks and accepts the male, part of estrous cycle
Estrus increases/decreases what behs
Increase in locomotion, investigative, vocalizations, decrease in eating and resting (restless)
What animals tend to have “silent” first estruses
Ewes, cows, mares
Estrus behaviour in sheep
Silent heats common, need a ram to detect
Very proceptive, seek out male, rub herself against him, shake her tail towards him
Estrus behaviour in goats
Rapid tail waving (“flagging”), repeated bleating, decreased eating, tendency to roam
Estrus behaviour in cattle
Lasts 12-24h
Restlessness (increased activity), raise and switch tail, arch/stretch back, increased licking, jerky movements of vulva, roaming and bellowing
Mutual riding
Who is typically involved in mutual riding
When female-female, cow in estrus will stand to be ridden, cows just entering into or exiting estrus may attempt to mount
Estrus behaviour in horses
Urination stance or straddling with small amounts of urine
Tail elevated, rhythmic clitoral “winking”
Seek out male, adopt stationary stance
Estrus behaviour pigs
Adopt lordosis stance in response to pressure on the lumbar region of the back
May be ridden by other sows
Presence of a male synchronizes estrus in group of females
“Whitten” effect
